File-cabinet.



O. M. SHANNON.

HLE CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15. 1911.

Patented July 16, 1918.

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O. M. SHANNON.

FILE CABlNET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.15, 1917. Q 1 73,005. Patented July16, 1918.

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osoAR M. srrniylvoiv, or LAno MoNT, NEW YORK.

FILE-CABINET.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR M. SnANNoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Larchmont, in thecount y of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in File- Cabinets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to file cabinets and has for one of its objects the provision of a cabinet which will accommodate a maximum number of large sheets of paper, such as architects plans, railroad maps and th like,'maintain them' in flat'form and occupy a minimum amount of'fioor space.

Another object of. the invention is to provide a drawer for such a cabinet which is divided into a plurality of extensible compartments and is so constructed that the plans in each compartment are readily accessible for emplacement or removal.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of the constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter de-. scribed and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, one embodiment of the invention is shown, and

*Figure 1 shows in perspective a file cabinet having one of its'sections drawn out to show the arrangement of the drawers;

Fig. 2 is a section through the cabinet, showing one of the drawers in its drawnout position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of one of the file sections of the cabinet;

Fig. 4 is a section of a drawer, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are details of the trunnion mounting for the drawers.

As is well known, difficulty is experienced in filing sheets of paper of relatively large size, such as architects plans and the like, in flat form. Heretofore it has been customary to use file cabinets having shallow, horizontal drawers, which file cabinets occupy a relatively large amount of floor space. The drawers of such a cabinet mustnecessarily be made shallow, since it is impossible to completely remove them from the cabinet when plans or maps are to be filed or withdrawn. Due also to the fact that the drawers are not capable of being fully drawn out of the cabinet and the plans are not readily accessible, the plans frequently become crushed or creased when being placed within the drawer. T o minimize the Specification of Letters Patent.

sections.

Patented. July 1c, 1918.

Application filed February 15, 1917. Serial No. 148,703.

floor space and yet permit the drawers to be moved to a horizontal position while the plans are being handled, this invention contemplates a cabinet having a plurality of file sections, each of which supports one or more drawers which are normally in a vertical position but are adapted to be swung to a horizontal position when in use.

In the drawings, one type of file cabinet which can be utilized is shown, and comprises a bo-Xlike casing 1, which has its front and bottom faces entirely open. Mounted within this casing are a plurality of cabinet or file sections 2, each of which sections comprises a rectangular frame consisting of front and rear boards 3 and 8 and top and bottom boards 5 and 6. The front and rear boards 3 and 3 are preferably extended downwardly below the bottom piece 6 and rollers 7 are secured thereto by means of brackets 8. The sections 2 fit within the casing or frame 1 in abutting relation, that is, with no intervening partitions between the same and'the various sections therefore act as supports for each other, the two end sections being supported by the walls of the casing 1. Each of the sections is provided at its upper rear corner with a stop or projection 9, which is adapted to engage with a corresponding lug or projection 10 formed upon the casing 1 adjacent its upper front corner to limit the outward movement of the sections. These stops are arranged to permit the file section to be drawn out to its fully open position and yet have its rear piece 3 supported by the two adjacent file Handles 11 are formed on each of the sections, which handles should not proj ect beyond the front of the cabinet so that the drawers in the sections will be free to swing to a horizontal position when a file section is in its fully open position.

In the form of file section shown, two drawers are mounted in each file section, each drawer comprising a bottom piece 14, a back piece 15 and side pieces 16. The drawers are each pivoted to swing upon a horizontal axis upon trunnions 17 which are secured to the side 16 of the drawers by means of circular plates 18. Socket pieces 20 having U-shaped sockets in which the trunnions are rotatably mounted are secured to the inner faces of the front and rear sections of the file cabinet. A drawer is therefore removable from a file section by merely lifting the trunnions out of the sockets. A.

lockingslot 22 is provided in the wall of each socket into which is adapted to fit a lug .26, for reinforcement.

or projection 19 carried by the trunnion, the trunnion being normally urged to a position inwhich this lug will enter the slot 22 by a spring 23. In Fig. 3 of the drawing, a drawer is shown in substantially horizontal position, in which position the lug 19 en ters the slot 22 and locks the drawer against movement. When it is desired to return the drawer to its vertical position, a slight push upon the front of the drawer will force the trunnion 17 toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 5, and will withdraw the lug 19 from the locking slot 22, and the drawer can then be returned to its normal or vertical position.

The drawer is divided into a plurality of extensible compartments by means of retaining or partition sheets 25, preferably constructed of light sheet metal. The front edge of each sheet may be bent over as at At their rear ends the sheets are provided with backs 28. Projecting at right angles from the upper edge of each back is a flange 29, these flanges increasing in width in the upper sheets so that when the sheets rest one upon the other, without any plans or maps between them, they will nest, as is shown in the lower half of Fig. 3. The upper sheet 30 is provided with a cover 31, which is also of sheet metal and is pivoted to the back of the upper sheet 30 by means of a double hinge 32, so that the cover 31 will lie flat upon the sheets in the top compartment. The back 15 of the drawer is provided with a plurality of strips 33, the faces of which are serrated or provided with a plurality of projections with which the flanges 29 are adapted to engage, the particular tooth with which the flange engages serving as a fulcrum for lifting a sheet 25 and all of the sheets and plans above it. As will be clear from Fig. 4, when a flange 29 is brought into engagement with one of these teeth and the sheet swung upwardly, as if pivotally mounted, the bottom of the sheet which is being raised will clear the plans lying upon the partition sheet below it. It is therefore possible to place new plans or maps in any compartment without interference or hindrance. After the plan has been placed in position and the partition sheet above the particular compartment in which the plan or map has been pl-aced'is permitted to resume its normal position, the flange 29 will be disengaged from the teeth and the partition sheet will rest flat upon the plans within the compartment below it and the plans will be held in flat form without any danger of being wrinkled or folded. When the drawer is returned to its normal vertical position the backs 28 will serve as a restfor the bottom of the sheets. 7 7

If desired, a spring 35 may be provided, which presses against the cover 31 when the drawer is in its normal vertical position. To maintain the drawing in vertical position, a spring catch 36 may also be utilized, which catch engages the bottom of the drawer, and will, with the spring 35, prevent any swinging movement of the drawer. I claim: In a file cabinet, a file section, a drawer having trunnions for mounting said drawer, sockets for said trunnions carried by said section, one of said sockets having a locking slot therein, a lug carried by said trunnion adapted to engage in said slot, and a spring engaging said trunnion.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature.

OSCAR SHANNON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, .D. C. 

